Walking out from the lowest layer of the Deep Pond Valley, the elder led the fifteen groups toward the edge where the valley met the Deep Pond Forest. The distance between them was only a few kilometers.
The forest stretched wide and deep. Towering, ancient trees dominated the landscape, their thick trunks rising higher than the mountains that encircled the valley. A soft breeze drifted through the air, brushing gently against the skin like the wind near a tranquil lake.
Even the atmosphere seemed fresher, more vibrant, rich with life.
The sudden shift in environment surprised many of the participants. But before anyone could speak, the elder from the Martial Cloud Sect raised his voice.
"Before you lies the Deep Pond Forest," he said. "And with just a few final words from me, the Young Talent Tournament will begin."
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small pouch. With practiced ease, he tossed one to each group.
"This is a bag of holding," he explained. "Inside, you can store the corpses of the demonic beasts you defeat, along with any food, supplies, or items you may collect. Each group will receive one.
"In addition, each bag has a tracking rune engraved on it. At the end of the week, someone will come to retrieve you, assuming, of course, that your group survives until then. So give it your best."
He gave a final nod, then raised his arm and swept it toward the forest.
"That's all from me. Let the Young Talent Tournament… begin!"
Excitement rippled through the crowd. Some groups rushed forward into the forest with eager energy, while others moved more cautiously.
Yuan's group chose the latter. They walked at a steady pace, though Haoran was visibly itching to sprint ahead.
"Let's go! We're wasting time!" Haoran said, almost bouncing with excitement.
Yuan reached out and stopped him with a firm hand, shaking his head silently.
"Tsk," Haoran clicked his tongue in frustration, but didn't resist.
Without saying a word, Yuan took the bag of holding and secured it around his arm.
With that, the group was ready. Together, they stepped into the shadows of the Deep Pond Forest.
The weather gradually turned gray and windy, just as the teacher had predicted earlier that morning. But even with the worsening conditions, Yuan and his group had no choice but to keep moving forward through the Deep Pond Forest.
"So… where should we go?" Tianyu asked, glancing at Yuan as they wandered aimlessly through the dense trees. Haoran chimed in next.
"Should we start hunting demonic beasts? Or maybe make some weapons?"
"Yes, Brother Luanyuan, what's the plan?" Yuxin added, her voice laced with concern.
All their eyes turned to Yuan, awaiting his decision.
Yuan smiled calmly. "For now, the best thing we can do is find shelter. A place to rest, maybe under a large tree, or even better, a cave. Somewhere that could shield us from the rain. I have a feeling it'll start pouring soon."
The others responded with a collective "Oh," and nodded in agreement.
Tianyu looked up, trying to examine the sky himself, only to be met with a thick ceiling of interwoven branches and countless leaves. He sighed in frustration. "Can't even see the sky in here…"
"What if we don't find any shelter?" Meilan asked softly.
Yuan, who had just begun to take another step forward, paused mid-motion and turned to her.
"Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "This forest is filled with demonic beasts, right? That means there must be lairs or dens around. Even if we have to drive out a beast to take over its lair, we'll find something. I'm certain of it."
Meilan nodded, comforted by his confidence. With that, the group continued deeper into the forest.
As they walked, Yuan's thoughts drifted to what he had read about the Deep Pond Forest.
It was a place teeming with life, filled not just with dangerous demonic beasts, but also ordinary wildlife. While he didn't know everything about it, he had studied many of the regions controlled by the Eighteen Allies and had read what little existed about the forest.
One particular legend stood out.
It was said that somewhere within the forest lay a mystical deep pond, a place that could aid one's cultivation. Though many cultivators had claimed to have seen it, solid records were scarce. Most believed those stories were just exaggerated rumors.
Still, no one had ever confirmed that the pond didn't exist either.
Although Yuan was intrigued by the legend of the Deep Pond, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that searching for it might disrupt the careful schemes he had set in motion. After some thought, he decided against pursuing it, for now.
As the group continued walking through the forest, searching for shelter, Yuan suddenly heard a low growl.
He stopped instantly.
The others, surprised by his sudden halt, looked at him in confusion. But before they could speak, Yuan raised a hand, signaling them to stay silent.
Another growl followed, slightly louder this time.
Yuan's gaze sharpened, and he pointed toward a large tree about twenty meters away. The group turned their attention in the direction he indicated, ears straining to catch the sound.
Then they heard it, once, then again, and a third time.
"Three of them," Yuan muttered under his breath.
"Tsk," Haoran clicked his tongue in annoyance, while Yuxin instinctively stepped back, only to trip over a stone and fall to the ground with a gasp.
That clumsy fall was all the beasts needed.
From the underbrush emerged three green-furred creatures, each about a meter tall, their long fangs bared menacingly. They looked like wolves, though oddly, they lacked tails. Their eyes were cold and filled with hunger, and their growls grew louder as they lunged forward.
The group had no weapons at hand. They could only rely on their martial skills and bare hands.
The beasts moved with frightening speed. One of them targeted Yuxin, who was still struggling to get up. Its fangs gleamed as it charged toward her vulnerable position.
But Tianyu reacted in an instant.
He grabbed the back of Yuxin's robes and flung her behind him, putting himself between her and the attacking wolf. The beast didn't hesitate, it pounced on Tianyu, slashing at him with its claws in rapid succession.
Though Tianyu managed to block some of the attacks, he wasn't fast enough to evade them all. Red lines opened on his arms and shoulder, shallow but bleeding.
"Damn it!" Tianyu cursed as he kicked the wolf like beast squarely in the stomach, sending it tumbling several meters away. But before he could recover, a sharp, pained howl rang out from nearby.
He turned his head and what he saw stunned him.
Yuan stood over another wolf-like beast, gripping one of its own fangs, which he had driven deep into its eye. The creature twitched once, then collapsed lifelessly.
Yuan's expression was cold and composed. He reached down to retrieve the fang from the beast's eye, but it was firmly lodged and refused to budge.
As Yuan struggled with it, he glanced over and saw Meilan and Haoran working together to take down the third beast. Their coordinated strikes had clearly worn it down, and it was only a matter of time before it fell.
But something didn't feel right.
A prickling sensation crept up Yuan's spine. His eyes shifted toward the direction the beasts had originally come from. There, nestled between roots and fallen leaves, was an oddly shaped mound on the ground, too symmetrical, too unnatural.
Yuan narrowed his eyes.
It resembled the shape of the wolf beasts.
He wasn't certain, but his instincts screamed caution. Better to assume the worst than be caught off guard.
As he considered this, a loud, guttural cry echoed from the last struggling wolf as it tried to fend off Meilan and Haoran.
Yuan's brow furrowed. "Why did it cry out like that?" he thought. "Was it a last-ditch attack… or a call for help?"
He quickly turned his gaze back to the unnatural mound, only to find it gone.
His eyes widened.
Without a moment's hesitation, Yuan tightened his grip on the embedded fang, trying once more to wrench it free, but it was hopelessly stuck. He clicked his tongue in frustration and instead yanked the other fang from the creature's jaw.
Whatever was coming, he'd face it prepared.
With the fang firmly in hand, Yuan stomped once more on the wolf's neck, just in case. If by some chance it was still alive, crushing its spine would ensure its death.
Only once he was certain did he turn and dash toward Tianyu, who was still struggling to fend off another beast with just his bare hands.
Without a word, Yuan launched a surprise attack on the creature, driving the fang deep into its neck. Though it wasn't as sharp as a blade, the fang pierced flesh easily and the wolf like beast howled in pain.
Yuan didn't stop. In a swift motion, he let go of the fang, wrapped both hands around the beast's thick neck, and twisted. But its neck resisted, too sturdy to snap in one motion. The creature thrashed wildly, trying to shake Yuan off its back.
Seeing Yuan struggle, Tianyu finally acted. He grabbed a heavy stone from the forest floor and smashed it against the wolf's head with a sickening crack. The beast reeled from the impact, its movements faltering, just enough for Yuan to wrench the neck again.
This time, the neck twisted fully. With a final convulsion, the beast collapsed.
Breathing hard, Yuan pulled the bloodied fang from its throat and turned to check on Meilan and Haoran. They were still fighting the last wolf, but it was clearly on its last legs.
Yuan's gaze, however, wasn't focused on the fight.
His eyes scanned the forest and there it was again. That unnatural mound.
Only now, it was even closer.
He drew in a sharp breath, eyes narrowing. The glint in his black eyes turned sharp and focused. He tightened his grip on the fang, yanked it free, and sprinted toward the strange bulk without hesitation.